On September 16, 2016, the English Department hosted a happy hour as part of the UMBC 50 celebrations. The event saw an incredible turn out of alumna, faculty, and friends as we reminisced over the classes, the professors, and the good times that are so very much a part of the English Department culture here at UMBC.

UMBC 50 English Department Happy Hour

Professor of the Practice Christopher Corbett gathered with several alumna over good food and even better conversation at the English Department Happy Hour event.

UMBC 50 English Department Happy Hour

As part of the English Department Happy Hour, Senior Lecturer Carol Fitzpatrick reunited with two generations of Rosenthals that she taught over the years.

UMBC 50 English Department Happy Hour

For all in attendance, the English Department Happy Hour was a time to celebrate, remember, and relax. Here Ryan Bloom, Brian Dunnigan, and Raphael Falco were deep in conversation over plentiful hors d'oeuvres.

UMBC 50 English Department Happy Hour

CAHSS Dean Scott Casper has always been a great supporter of the work we do in the English Department. It was great to see him come out to our Happy Hour event and catch up with Sandy Geest, '72.

UMBC 50 English Department Happy Hour

Holly Britton, '10, and Senior Lecturer Emerita Gail Orgelfinger were able to reconnect at the English Department Happy Hour. The atmosphere was filled with the buzz of joyous chatter and laughter as we remembered days near and dear.

UMBC 50 English Department Happy Hour

Here our department chair Orianne Smith speaks with Ryanne Milani, '12, and Isabelle Garcia, '11--a reminder that even though our students graduate to create lives of their own, their English Department home is never too far away.

UMBC 50 English Department Happy Hour

One of the highlights of our department Happy Hour was a reading by Writer in Residence Lia Purpura and Lecturer Tanya Olson. The English Department is filled with such incredible talent always eager to share with our students, past and present, the wonderful world of the word.

Welcome to UMBC’s English Department

UMBC’s English Department is a vibrant center for research, teaching, and learning. We offer a Master of Arts in Texts, Technologies, and Literature and two undergraduate major tracks: the Literature Track, for the broad range and diverse traditions of literature written in English, and the Communication and Technology Track, for written and spoken communication and the new information technologies. The English minors feature literature, communication and technology, creative writing, journalism, rhetoric and communication, and professional writing. The Department is also the home of UMBC’s innovative First-Year Composition Program. Click here to learn more about the English Department.

Alumni Spotlight

Our featured alum is Imani Spence, ’16, a former English major who currently works as a radio producer for the Mark Steiner Show, a public radio talk show on WEAA 88,9FM. Click here to learn more about Spence, her experience as a radio producer, and her time at UMBC.